


And Life Goes On

by MiaVivisol



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood-centric, All Human AU, Angst, Author is a meanie to Alec, Author violently projects onto the characters instead of handling things irl, Editor Magnus Bane, Fluff, Found Family, Happy reading folks, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Kidfic, Law Student Alec Lightwood, M/M, Not Beta Read, Oneshot, SHBigBang2019, Single Parent Alec Lightwood, Writer Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-25 13:55:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20026912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiaVivisol/pseuds/MiaVivisol
Summary: What would you give up to protect those you love?Alec Lightwood knows what his life is going to look like, mostly. He has two paths: either obey his parents, become a lawyer and marry a woman, or rebel, become a writer, and get kicked out of the family.But life, instead of simply throwing a wrench in his plans, empties the entire toolbox into them, and he finds himself facing a hidden path, one he didn't know existed.He walks down it anyway.





	And Life Goes On

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Thanks for clicking! Welcome to this part of the Big Bang. It's composed almost entirely of dialogue and jumpcuts.
> 
> Art for this fic done by [@snowingincamelot](https://snowingincamelot.tumblr.com) on Tumblr. Thanks so much, you're a lovely person!!!
> 
> If you're into livetweeting, do that with the tag #ALGOFic ! I'll be using the account [@SamuelVivisol](https://twitter.com/samuelvivisol) (my brother's account) to track the tag. Got a Tumblr? [@miavivisol](https://miavivisol.tumblr.com) will listen to your comments there! 
> 
> Go ahead now, I won't make you wait any longer! 💕

Alec felt like an important minister walking down a red velvet path to deliver life-changing news to the ruler of the kingdom. But the only life being changed was his own, as he walked to the Dean's office to see if he could change majors from Law to English.

"Alec," yelled a girl behind him, and he sighed inwardly as the heavily adorned walls of the magnificent palace fell away to reveal the white university walls.

"Yeah?" he said, turning halfway as Lydia caught up to him and started walking by his side.

"Alec, there's something important we need to talk about," she said, panting a bit. Alec frowned. She had been on the cheer team in high school; she shouldn't have been so winded from a single corridor.

"What's up?" he asked, slowing down a bit. She shot him a grateful look.

"I can't say here," she said, looking around anxiously. "Where are you going?"

"Dean's office, I'm changing my major," he smiled.

"Alec, please, can we talk right now?"

"Just say it, Lydia, it can't be that bad."

"I'm pregnant," she hissed.

He stopped and looked around. Nobody seemed to have noticed. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him.

"Where are we going?" she asked, trying to pull her hand away. Alec ignored her.

“Hey, stop. Alec! Let me go,” she hissed. “It _ hurts, _stop it!”

“Shut up,” Alec told her without faltering in his steps. She huffed, pressing her lips together, and tried not to trip over her own feet as Alec dragged her down the corridor.

He pushed open the door of the washroom and pulled Lydia in behind him. One of Alec’s classmates looked up from the sink. Something in Alec’s face must have scared him, because he almost tripped over his feet going out.

He let go of Lydia's hand and locked the door. Lydia shook out her wrist, glaring at him. Alec paced around, then stopped in front of her.

"Are you alright?" he asked her searchingly.

"I would be if you hadn't broken my hand," she bit out, rolling her eyes.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "Are you sure? That you're..."

"Yes," she said, calming down a bit. "I'm scared," she told him once she could breathe again.

"It's okay. It'll turn out fine. Do you know who the father is?" he asked.

"Alec..."

"Lyds. You can trust me, I won't tell anyone."

"I know. It's... you."

"So tell me."

"Alec, I think it's you. You're the father. Remember the party? The really-bad-hangover freshman’s party?"

There was a lump in Alec’s throat, and it didn’t feel like it was going away anytime soon.

“Lydia,” he whispered, then swallowed. “I’m -... I’m gay. I- I don’t think there’s a chance I’m…”

"I know," she said softly, reaching out to rub his shoulder. “But we woke up together, and I know you don’t remember anything from that night either.” Alec was believing Lydia more by the second. What she said was true; he really didn’t remember anything from that night. When he had woken up next to a partly undressed Lydia, he thought they had got out the party together and crashed as soon as they got to his room. Maybe he had been wrong.

“I honestly do think you’re the father, Alec. I… I’m sorry.” She looked down into her lap..

“It’s my fault too, Lyds,” Alec said, wiping her tears on autopilot. “Don’t say sorry. Have- have you planned anything for the child? Do you want it, or...?”

"I thought you might want to keep it, which is why I'm telling you. If you don't want to, I can still abort."

"What about your studies?" he asked. "I do want it, but are you okay with all this?"

She took a deep breath. "I want to keep the baby. I'll manage. Somehow. My friends can help me out; Clary is rooming with-"

"No," Alec cut her off. "If we’re doing this, you're going to move in with me. I'll kick Jace out; we can tell everyone we're dating."

"Should I tell anyone else about this?" As usual, she understood his convoluted plans.

"No. It's okay. We can do this. Can't we?" He looked up, vulnerability clear to see.

"Yes," she told him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. "We'll be okay."

* * *

"Hey Lyds," called Alec. "Did you hear, Jace and Clary got together?

"Really?" she said, ducking into the dorm kitchen. "Finally. Looks like we're matchmakers." Alec looked up from his pasta.

"What are you doing up?" he frowned. "You shouldn't be walking around." Lydia rolled her eyes.

"I'm pregnant, Alec, not injured. Besides, it's boring, just sitting around. I can't concentrate."

Alec sighed. "I'm trying to look after you here. Anyway," he speared a bite of pasta, "It's great that we moved together, I guess, but I'm starting to feel unsure again. It's affecting your grades, and you-"

"Alec," Lydia groaned. "I told you, everyone scored low on that. It's not going to affect anything, except my stomach and my emotions. Speaking of, do we have any ice-cream?"

"Chocolate! That okay?" Alec gestured at the freezer with his fork.

"I'll probably puke it out later, but sure," she said, opening the freezer.

"Okay, tell me if you need anything. Uh, by the way, door 482 signed up. Strong black, one sugar, everyday except Sunday."

"Gotcha. Write it down for me?" she said, picking up a spoon.

"Already done. Go study, Lydia," Alec called after her as she exited, getting a very mature raspberry in return.

* * *

"Morning, Alec," Lydia yelled. Alec groaned and rolled over, falling off his bed.

"Come on, up and at 'em. Before we lose our business, please!" she continued.

Alec shook his head and ran a hand over his face. "I'm awake, shut up!" he called as Lydia started to say something else.

A quick shower later, he walked out, grabbing the coffee cart on his way. It made loud and obnoxious noises with its wheels everytime it moved. But it was much easier than ferrying twenty-eight cups of coffee all over the dorms on a tray.

“Come on, Alec; it’s 6 am, you’re getting late!” Lydia said from her spot on the sofa.

“Oh my god, okay, stop. Why are you such a morning person? Gimme,” he said, grabbing the cup in Lydia’s hand. He took a sip and immediately gagged.

“The hell, Lydia?” he said, coughing. “Salt?”

“It tastes fine to me,” she argued. Alec shook his head and pushed the cart out the door, coughing into his elbow.

“We’re almost out of cups,” she called as he pulled the door shut.

“Got it,” he said. "I'll grab some in the evening."

* * *

“That doesn’t even make sense,” he told her. “Why would they throw away the-“

“That’s not the point,” she said. “As long as they’re getting the money, they won’t bother to think about what they’re doing.”

“What was the name of the movie, again?”

“I don’t remember; I’ll check when we get back to the dorm.”

They stood at the door of Lydia’s classroom, fifteen minutes before the professor was due to arrive. Alec glanced over her idly, then frowned and held her at arm’s length.

“We have to get you some baggy shirts,” he said critically. “Your baby bump is starting to show.”

“Really? Wow,” Lydia said, looking down at herself. “I thought it wasn’t that obvious. Do you think it’s doctor time yet?”

“Yeah, I’ll book an appointment after class. Send me your schedule when you can. What about the bump thing?”

Lydia shrugged. “I can wear your sweaters? I mean, aside from the fact that they’re all black, they look pretty comfy, and nobody will question it cause we’re dating”, she said.

“Good idea!” Alec nodded thoughtfully. “Plus it’s winter, so you won’t get uncomfortable.”

“Okay, that’s done. I’m going to go now,” Lydia said, pointing at the door over her shoulder.

“Yeah, pay attention, no doodling!” he told her, smiling. She rolled her eyes.

“Have fun in law, sleepyhead,” she said, turning around.

“I wasn’t asleep!” he argued halfheartedly.

* * *

Alec had his back on the floor and his feet hoisted onto the backrest of his chair. His textbook was held above his face. Lydia walked in, sipping from a glass of water.

“Should we get married?” he asked, turning his head to face her.

Lydia choked and got stuck in a coughing fit. Alec pulled his legs down hastily, getting the chair to fall on top of him. He stumbled upright and pulled Lydia onto the sofa.

“Are you alright?” he asked, lightly thumping her back.

“What the hell, Alec?” she yelled once she had her breath back. “_Get married _?”

“Why not?” he asked, mildly offended. “It’s not like we can hide this forever!”

“We can! Also, what about that insignificant fact that _ you don’t like women _?”

“…Yeah, but we can’t hide a person forever, especially a screaming baby. What about the constant attention it needs?”

“Alec, we’ve talked about this.”

“That’s not a permanent solution, Lyds. Even if one of us takes night classes, someone is bound to suspect something. And babies _ smell _.”

“Alec!”

“What? It’s true. We need help with this, Lydia. And I don’t think your parents are going to let you ‘stay with friends’ every summer. Please.”

Lydia shook her head and opened her mouth to say something. Alec kept speaking firmly.

“Let’s tell our friends, at least. You know, Jace was asking me where we were the other day when we got the ultrasound done. I almost screwed it all up, but then I think he assumed we had sex or something because he started smiling all weird and-”

Lydia sighed. “Alec. Okay, how about this? I’ll look into getting a student flat-”

“Won’t work,” Alec interrupted immediately. “We still have the coffee business up, and I had a look at the cost. They’re charging way too much.”

“Okay, how about we break up then?”

“…I sense a plan?” Alec said, looking at her quizzically.

“Yeah. How about we make it really messy, and in front of everyone? So then I’ll move out-”

“No,” Alec cut in. “I have to look after you; you can’t do everything alone. And anyway, you’ll probably have to move in with Clary if you do that.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Lydia sighed, then smiled teasingly. “You can’t make coffee for shit; someone has to keep the business going.”

“Screw off,” Alec said, sticking his tongue out. “You put salt in your coffee. I think I’m good.”

* * *

“Alright, spill,” Jace said, leaning forward in his chair. Alec looked up from his bland cafeteria sandwich.

“What?”

“Why aren’t you going home for the summer? Don’t give me the crap you gave your parents about staying with friends; your only friends are me and Clary and Lydia, and you’re not staying with any of us because all of us are going home.”

“What… Jace, why do you care? I… uh, I just need to take care of the coffee business.”

Jace snorted. “Yeah, sure. Dude, the whole campus knows you can’t make even a decent latte. Remember the time you burnt-”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s just, I really don’t want to go home.”

“Why? Alec, come on, you’re going to get really bored. Nobody’s staying behind; you’re-”

“Jace, stop. I’m not going to get bored.”

“Alec.”

“Jace.”

“Come on, why won’t you-”

“I’m gay, Jace.”

Jace shut up. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Alec watched him nervously, a little shocked at himself. He had only meant to distract. Not to come out.

“You mean, like, bi, right?” Jace asked finally. “Cause, you’re dating Lydia…”

“Yeah!” burst Alec. “Yeah, I’m bi.”

Jace let out a relieved breath. “That’s totally okay, Alec. As long as you’re dating one person at a time.”

“Jace, that applies to straight people too,” Alec pointed out, a little amused.

Jace thought for a while. “True,” he agreed. “Anyway, don’t change the topic. Why aren’t you going home?”

“I don’t want to be around the parents,” Alec told him honestly. It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was one of his reasons.

Jace stared at him, then nodded, satisfied. “You can come over to mine, if you want.”

Alec smiled at that. “It’s okay, Jace. I have some summer reading to do. Body language and stuff. I’m fine here.”

Jace frowned. “What? Why? Body language?”

“It’ll be useful when I’m a lawyer,” he shrugged, wrinkling his nose.

Jace pointed at him. “There. That. Alec, you hate law. Why the hell didn’t you change your major like you said you would?”

“I- Writing wouldn’t make me money. If I go ahead with law, I’ll have-” Alec cut himself off.

“That’s not you! You didn’t use to care about money. Alec, something happened over the holidays, I just know it. You haven’t been the same since college started.”

“I’m fine, Jace. It’s nothing.”

“You know you can tell me anything, right? I’m here, buddy. You being bi doesn’t change anything.”

Alec paused. “Yeah. I know. Thanks, Jace. But I really am fine.”

“Okay, Alec.” Jace smiled and glanced at his watch. His smile disappeared and a look of terror overtook his face. “Shit, gotta go, date with Clary-” he said, vaulting over a table.

Alec watched him go, stuck in his thoughts. He sighed. Another something he would have to get used to. Jace thought he was bi, and he would tell Clary, and Clary would tell Simon, and Simon would call-

Oh, hell. Izzy. Alec frantically dialed her number and held the phone to his ear, tapping his foot nervously.

“Alec, hey!” Izzy’s cheerful voice sounded in his ear. “How’s Lyd-”

“Izzy, I’m g- uh, I’m bi,” he blurted. There was silence in his ear.

“Okay. Alec, I support you and whatever, but what’s wrong? You sound really tense and rushed; is everything okay?”

“Uh… I just told Jace, and I figured you’d rather hear it from me than Simon,” Alec said sheepishly.

“Thanks, I guess,” she said, sounding amused. “You don’t really think our friends can keep a secret, do you?”

“Absolutely,” Alec said, thinking of his son. “In fact, it’s been five minutes already. I’m surprised-”

“Hold that thought, Alec; I’m getting another call,” she told him, hanging up. Alec laughed to himself, half in relief and half in amusement. He pocketed his phone as the bell rang, getting up.

* * *

Alec would never forget the day his son was born. Lydia had been admitted into the Tisch hospital’s maternity ward at eight and a half months- they couldn’t risk her water breaking on campus. With only two months to go before the new term started, Lydia had decided to get a C-section if the term went over two days past nine months. Alec had stayed out of that decision; Lydia knew what was best for herself. If anybody asked, they planned to say it was the flu.

It hadn’t been necessary. Maxie had been born 3 days short of nine months. He couldn’t quite drown out Lydia’s screams, but to Alec, who sat in the waiting room praying to every god he could think of, it was the loudest, most melodic sound he had ever heard.

They didn’t let Alec hold him at first. He could understand that; in his hurry to get there, he had knocked over a bottle of ink on himself. He was fairly sure he would never get it out of his sweater. He also had a sneaking suspicion some of it was on his face. It was confirmed when Lydia let out an exhausted giggle on seeing him. He sighed, then smiled at her.

She was very tired. Maxie had been shifted to an observation room- Lydia needed to sleep and Alec was too scruffy for it to be safe for him. The doctors would also finish off the initial vaccinations and other formalities. As Alec wiped the sweat off a sleeping Lydia’s face and gently pushed her mouth shut, he couldn’t help but think that if things had been different, Lydia would be perfect for him.

Lydia’s doctor, a nice woman named Catarina who knew almost everything about their situation, took pity on him after a while. She pulled him away from her and showed him the way to the washroom. Alec took off his sweater and groaned when he saw his ruined shirt. He stuffed the sweater into the sink and turned the water on, watching the color seep out until it was a soggy lump of faintly blue-black cloth. He wiped down his face until it only looked a little blue, then simply dumped the sweater in the trash and went back, shaking the water off his wet hands 

When he got back to the room, Catarina was sitting on the chair next to Lydia’s bed, nursing Maxie with a bottle. Alec’s breath caught- in that moment, nothing mattered but his son. His hair was deep brown, closer to Alec’s black crow’s nest than Lydia’s blonde plait. It stuck to his head in little tufts that looked soft and delicate. His eyes were screwed shut and his nose was bright red as he sucked at the bottle. Right there, Alec felt the same bond forming as when he had seen Isabelle for the first time, only so much more deep and permanent.

“He’s… so small,” Alec said faintly.

“Not at all,” Catarina said, amused. “You have a perfectly healthy son. Congratulations. His birth certificate is over there,” she said, jerking her chin at the side table. Alec forced himself to look away, so he could check over the certificate that proudly announced Maximillian Lightwood was born to Alexander Gideon Lightwood and- Alec couldn’t read any further because of the tears welling up in his eyes. He put the certificate down for fear of damaging it and pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes, breathing harshly. When he turned around, Catarina was walking around, patting the baby’s back and humming gently.Alec sat down on Lydia’s bed, staring at him mesmerized. Maxie sleepily let out a soft “urp” sound, and Catarina gestured to Alec to hold out his hands. Though terrified, Alec obeyed.

“The neck is very delicate, so be sure to hold up the head,” she reminded him. Alec nodded, staring at him. Disturbed by the change in position, Maxie opened his mouth wide, then closed it and opened his eyes, staring directly into Alec’s.

Alec pulled Maxie closer, letting his heartbeat soothe him back to sleep, and silently vowed to protect him, no matter what.

* * *

“Anyone smell anything weird?” Jace asked, wrinkling his nose. Clary sniffed and nodded.

Alec sipped his coffee nervously. Baby powder had a highly distinctive smell, but it was the only thing that could mask the smell of baby shit.

So he quickly changed the topic. “Hey, Jace, by the way, we’ve upped the morning coffee price. It’s two dollars more for the next few months,” he said.

Jace’s face dropped. “Two dollars? That’s, like… uh, sixty dollars more a month!”

Clary laughed and punched his arm. “We’re going to be starting the second year, you klutz. Class starts an hour late. Go without coffee if you’re so worried about the cost.”

Jace relaxed and sheepishly grinned at Alec. “Scared me for a-” He was interrupted by Alec’s phone ringing.

“It’s Lydia,” Alec said. “Gimme a sec. Hello-”

_ “Alec, I was using your laptop, and you got a notification, and I promise I didn’t click on it or anything-”_

“Hey, hey, calm down,” he said quietly, hyper-aware of Jace and Clary next to him. “Is something wrong with- uh, is anything-”

_ “You didn’t tell me you applied to Harvard,” _ Lydia said breathlessly. Alec suddenly felt the same way.

“Did- did they send-” He couldn’t say anything further.

“Alec?” Clary said, looking at him. He held up a finger.

_ “Um. Can I open it and read it to you?” _ Lydia asked.

“Y-yes,” Alec said, closing his eyes and crossing his fingers.

“Alec, are you okay? You’re very pale,” Jace said. Alec barely heard him.

_ “Hold on,” _ Lydia said. _ “Uh. Here goes. ‘Dear Alexander Lightwood, we are pleased to-” _ Alec sucked in a deep breath. _ “-to inform you that you have been accepted into the Harvard Law Program.’ Oh my god.”_

“No way,” Alec whispered.

_ “‘Furthermore, you have been determined to be eligible for the Pell Scholarship-’ Alec, oh my god, isn’t that-”_

“Yes!” he yelled, startling Jace, who had been trying to listen in.

“Lyds! Ice cream tonight, on me!” he yelled into the phone.

_ “Oh my god, Alec! Congratulations!” _ Lydia yelled back.

“I got into Harvard’s transfer program!” he told Jace and Clary, who looked very surprised, then broke into huge grins. Alec cut the call, lifted Clary up and whirled her around.

“I’m calling Izzy,” Jace said. Alec nodded, excited, and laughed, Clary joining in.

A lot of his laughter was relief.

* * *

“You’re taking Maxie with you,” Lydia said quietly, when Alec returned to their room five hours later. She was holding the twelve day old Max against her chest, gently rocking him.

Alec paused, then shut the door. “Yeah,” he breathed.

Lydia nodded slowly, then wiped a tear from her eye, smiling weakly up at him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier,” Alec said quietly, coming to sit next to her. “It was- I didn’t want to jinx- I just didn’t want to get our hopes up.” He sighed, and smiled at Max.

“When are you leaving?” she asked.

“Next week,” Alec said. “Lydia, I really wanted to tell you, but-”

“No, I know,” Lydia said, face crumpling. “I- um, I always knew you were going to leave, I just didn’t think it would be so soon-” She breaks off, sobbing. Alec wraps his arms around them both in a hug.

“I’m sorry,” Alec said quietly into her hair.

“No, it’s- it’s alright,” Lydia said through deep breaths. Max opened his eyes, startled by everything, and looked between them both. He was the quietest of the three babies Alec had known, and Alec was very thankful for it.

“Lydia. For everything,” Alec whispered, voice cracking slightly. “I’m so sorry. I feel like I’ve ruined everything for you.”

“Alec,” Lydia started, pulling out of the hug and jiggling Max. “Please don’t apologise. It wasn’t your fault. Anyway, you gave me Max. I’m glad I had him, even if I’ll be losing him now-” she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Alec reached out his hand and let Max grip his finger, wordless.

“Would you like some ice cream?” he said eventually. “Butterscotch.” He pulled out a bag from behind him. “Your favorite.”

Lydia gave him a watery smile. “Thanks. And, uh-” She wiped another tear away. “Congrats again.”

Alec smiled back. “Thanks,” he said, putting the ice cream in her lap and carefully taking Max from her. Lydia pulled open the box, then looked up at him. “You want some?”

Alec shook his head. Max reached out and slapped his face, then pulled Alec’s finger into his mouth. “Jace and Clary made me buy them sandwiches,” he explained, moving out of Max’s hitting range.

Lydia nodded and got up. “I’ll get a spoon then,” she said. “You want to watch a movie?”

“Sure,” Alec said, smiling up at her. “You choose today.”

Lydia paused at the door. “Alec,” she said hesitantly. “When you go there, you’ll- you’ll still call me, right?”

“Of course,” Alec said, turning to her. “Lyds. You’re my best friend. I won’t let anything change that,” he said. Max made a squeak-like noise and Alec hastily turned back to him. Lydia smiled sadly to herself and turned away.

* * *

“Don’t forget to call,” Lydia said.

“I won’t,” Alec replied, taking the suitcases from her hand and stuffing them into the car’s boot. He pulled the baby bag off his shoulder and put it on the back seat. The driver had barely glanced at either of them.

“I’ll miss you both,” Lydia said.

“And we’ll miss you.” Alec carefully took Max from Lydia’s hands. He stared at everything around him curiously.

“Don’t be a stranger.” Lydia looked at Max and smiled.

“Won’t,” Alec grinned. “You know, I’m honestly amazed nobody’s found out about Max yet.”

“Yeah, me too,” Lydia said, looking up at Alec and frowning. “Be careful, Alec. Take care of him. And yourself.”

“Will do. And you take care of yourself.”

“Yeah. Good luck,” she said, reaching out to stroke Max’s hair. Max babbled and croaked.

“Gotta go now, Lyds,” Alec said, glancing at his watch. “Four hour ride.”

Lydia nodded and smiled. “Bye.”

Alec leant forward and pressed a kiss to Lydia’s cheek. “Bye, Lyds. See you again,” he said, ducking his head to get in the cab.

“Goodbye,” Lydia said softly, watching them drive away.

* * *

** _Four Years Later_**

* * *

“Come on, Max, wrap it up,” Alec said, walking past him, shutting the lid of his lunch box.

“Okay, daddy,” Max said happily. “Bye-bye, Lydia,” he waved.

“Bye, Max,” Lydia said, waving back. “Bye, Alec!”

“Bye, Lyds; it was great talking to you, but someone here is going to be late for the first day of school,” Alec said, leaning over Max’s shoulder and ruffling his hair. Max leaned away, giggling.

“No, I get it,” Lydia said, laughing. “Have a good day.”

“You too,” Alec laughed, cutting the call.

“Excited, buddy?” he asked Max, putting two sandwiches on the counter and sitting next to him.

“Yeah!” Max said, jumping in his seat.

“Great!” Alec smiled at him. “Eat your sandwich quickly, and if you’re a good boy at school, we might go out and get chocolates later,” he whispered, leaning in close. 

Max widened his eyes and turned to his sandwich, taking a big bite. Alec turned to his own sandwich and ran over the details of his ongoing case study. He had worked out a fast-track program with the help of the Harvard dean, considering his position, while trying to hold down a job at the university library. He had learnt to enjoy what he studied, but his dream of being a writer still lingered.

Half a year ago, his Chicago best friend and coworker, Maia Roberts, had made an offhand comment about the originality of the bedtime stories he told Max. It had stuck in his mind for weeks, until he had decided to take a leap of faith and filled in three whole notebooks with a series about Max the Knight and the king's advisor, Alexander.

Nothing had come of it, because he hadn’t sent in the books anywhere. But he had read it out to Maxie, and he seemed to love it, and that was enough for now.

“Daddy, all gone,” Max said, patting Alec’s arm. Alec jerked back to alertness and smiled down at him.

“All ready, then?” Max nodded frantically, smiling. “Ready to go to school and make lots of friends?”

“Yeah!” Max said enthusiastically.

Alec sent up a silent thank-you that Max wasn’t overly clingy or prone to crying, like he had read a lot of kids did when their schools were starting.

A lot of that was probably his fault, though, he mused. He had spent the past year or so subtly talking up school, all about how it was really fun and he missed it and how Max was going to love it and make lots of friends and it was just like the daycare at Alec’s work, except so much better because he could eat with his new friends instead of Alec.

...That last part hadn’t gone over so well, but Max seemed to like the rest of it enough for Alec to not have to worry about it.

“Come on, buddy,” Alec said, getting up and grabbing Max’s bag and his own briefcase. “Time to go.”

“Okay, daddy,” Max said, slipping off his chair. “Daddy, can we get- get the ice lolly? From the road man?”

“No can do, Maxie,” Alec said, grabbing his keys. “I don’t think road man is awake just yet.”

“But daddy, it’s- it’s morning!” Maxie complained.

Alec laughed. “Not quite yet, buddy. Come on, tell me what time it is?” He held out his digital wristwatch.

“Seven, seven, hundred?” Maxie said, grabbing his wrist.

“It’s seven, and that’s a four, and that’s a three, so it’s seven forty-three,” Alec explained. “And that means we’re late, buddy, so come on up,” he said, kneeling down. Max giggled and ran into him, wrapping himself around Alec. Alec steadied him, standing up.

“Oof, you’re getting heavy,” Alec grinned at him. “Growing up without me, kid?”

“Daddy, we getting late for school!” Maxie said, giggling and pointing at the door.

* * *

“I don’ wanna go,” Maxie said, hiding his face in Alec’s trousers.

“But you’ll have so much fun,” Alec said, almost desperately. “And without me! I’m so jealous of you, bud. You know, they have a cat inside?”

“A cat?” Max pulled his face away to look him in the eyes.

“Yeah, I saw it when I came in to ask if you could come to school. It’s orange and white, but it didn’t let me get close. Hey, was that the cat over there?”

“Where?” Maxie said, turning around. “I can’t see it!”

“Over there,” Alec said, pointing at the preschool building. “I think it just ran inside,” he said.

“Daddy, we go find the cat! Meow!” Maxie said, pulling Alec’s arm.

“They won’t let me in there,” Alec said. “Will you find the cat for me today?”

“Okay, daddy! I have to go find the cat now,” Max said, looking intently at the school door.

“Go ahead, buddy. I’ll pick you up at four, okay?”

“Okay, bye!”

“...Bye, Maxie,” Alec said, feeling a little bereft when Max ran off inside without a second glance at him. He stood at the gate for a while, just in case he came out again.

“It’s a little hard to let go, isn’t it?” said an amused voice behind him. He turned around, a little startled. A woman stood there in a pretty blue dress, looking at him with a piercing gaze.

“Yeah,” he said, looking her over. “I’m sorry, I feel like I know you from somewhere?”

“I’m Catarina Loss,” she said, holding out a hand. “If we’ve met, I don’t remember you.”

Alec took her hand. “Alec Lightwood,” he said. “No, I definitely know you, just give me a sec. Are you a parent?”

“Yes,” she said. “My daughter, Madzie, started here last year. I noticed your son was giving you a hard time, and I came over to try to help, but you handled that pretty well.”

“I just hope he isn’t too disappointed when he doesn’t find a cat,” Alec grinned ruefully.

“Oh, there is a cat, but it’s pure white,” she said, laughing. “It belongs to the teacher. Hm, forgive me for saying this, but you seem a little young to be a parent.”

“I am,” Alec said, smiling ruefully. “I’m turning 23 this month.”

Catarina gave him a searching look. “Unless your son is adopted, that’s a hell of a choice you made.”

“He’s not adopted,” Alec admitted. Catarina nodded, and a lightbulb went off over Alec’s head.

“Wait,” he gasped. “I do know you. You’re the- you were the nurse when Maxie was born.”

“Maybe. I worked at the-"

“The Tisch hospital?”

“Yes,” she said, tilting her head. “I’m sorry, I really don’t remember you.”

“That’s fine,” Alec said, waving his hand. “You probably had a lot of patients.”

“That I did,” she agreed, smiling in a kind way. “Do you have somewhere to be, or would you like to have a cup of tea with me-”

“Oh my god,” Alec said, looking down at his watch. “I’m so late for class, sorry. Raincheck? I’ll be here at four to pick up Maxie, would that be fine?”

“That’s alright,” Catarina said, amused. “Go ahead. Alec, you said?”

“Yeah,” he said, throwing her a smile as he jogged down the sidewalk. “Catch you later!” She raised a hand in farewell.

* * *

** _An excerpt from _ ** **The Adventures Of A Brave Boy ** ** _(Gideon Archer)_**

_ Max pulled out his sword and raised it high above his head. “I will fight the dragon!” he said._

_ Everyone in the courtroom laughed at him, except for the King. _

_ “All right,” the King said. “You have my permission. Go forth and bring my daughter back.”_

_ “I will, Sire.” Max bowed, and put his sword back inside._

_ “My advisor, Alexander the Wise, shall go with you. Where is he?”_

_ Alexander stepped forward. “I am here, Majesty.”_

_ “You shall have whatever you need. You shall help this boy, and stay by his side every step of his journey. Do you understand me?”_

_ “Yes, Majesty. Your wish is my command.” He bowed low, and turned to Max. “Come. I will help you prepare.”_

_ “Thank you, your majesty,” Max said, and followed Alexander the Wise down the red carpet and through the big doors covered in purple silks._

* * *

Catarina threw her head back in laughter, and Alec grinned sheepishly. The cafe was a few minutes’ walk away from the school, and they had formed a sort of ritual of coming here after school. Max and Catarina’s daughter, Madzie, were chatting away about some TV show they both liked. Alec’s regular coffee cup sat to the side, empty; next to it sat Maxie’s pastry plate, also empty.

“That must have been hard,” she said, taking a sip of her tea.

“It still is,” Alec admitted.

She choked on her tea. “You’re still hiding it?” she asked, amazed. He shrugged.

“There’s just never been a good time to say ‘hey, by the way, I have a son, and I’ve been hiding him from all of you for five years now’,” he said dryly. “It’s just easier to keep him a secret.” 

“Do none of your family visit you? Don’t you visit them? It didn’t sound like you’re on bad terms.” She sounded astonished enough for Alec to feel a little guilty.

“My sister visits, sometimes,” he offered. “But my apartment is really small, so we just spend the day together when she comes over. I have a couple friends who babysit Max while she’s here.”

She didn’t look satisfied. “And your parents? What about them?”

“They’re not. Uh, they’re not the intimate types,” Alec muttered. His fingers tapped restlessly on the table.

“Christmas, thanksgiving? Your birthday?” she questioned, leaning forward. Alec felt her trying to catch his eyes and resolutely didn’t look up. 

“It’s not- Look, it’s just worked out like this, okay? My parents aren’t close to me. My sister has her own life to look after. My brother’s busy with school. I’ve lost touch with all my old friends. I didn’t even have to do anything past moving here, and that’s because I got into Harvard.”

“That’s a… terrible way to live,” Cat said, frowning.

“No,” Alec said, looking up. There’s a tension between them now, one that hadn’t been there before. “I like how it is now. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Maxie is worth it.”

Catarina stared at him, and he stared back. Then she nodded, slowly, and then, the tension was gone.

“I’m sorry if that was prying,” she said, raising the cup to her lips again. Alec relaxed into his seat.

“No, it’s fine.” He waved for the waiter, nodding out a small smile as the bill was brought to them. “I’ll get this.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Cat said, slapping his hand away. “You paid the last time.”

At a look from her that said much more, Alec relented. He went to fetch Maxie and Madzie, who were giggling under a table in a booth in the corner. He bent over, looking under the table, and Max squealed in delight.

“Hmm, look who’s hiding here,” he said, and they giggled again.

“Daddy is tall,” he told Madzie, who nodded sagely.

“Come on outside, buddy,” Alec told him, smiling helplessly. “It’s time to go.”

Maxie got up and ran to their table with no hesitation, and Madzie followed him.

“Madzie, look!” he said, pulling something out of his backpack.

“What do you have there, buddy?” Alec wasn’t looking at him, more focused on picking up his jacket, so he was caught off guard when he looked over and saw the red book in Max’s hands.

“Maxie, you took that to school?” His voice came out a little too angry, and Max was looking up at him, startled, so he tried to reign it in. He took a deep breath and knelt down next to him.

“Listen, Max, you can’t take this outside,” he said gently, taking the book from him. “What if it gets lost, hmm?”

“But I was keepin’ it careful,” Max said, looking down. 

Alec sighed. “Yes, but still. This is for home, okay?” Max nodded, a little sulkily.

“I just wanted to show an’ tell,” he explained, looking up earnestly. “Bobby said, he said his mama is a, a writer, and I said my Daddy is a lawyer, but you make the best stories, better than Aunty Maia, and, and then, Miss Mavey said we had to bring something, so I took the book.”

“You write?” Catarina interrupted.

“Yeah,” Alec said, standing up, book in hand. “I wanted to be a writer when I was younger. And I got pretty good at it, but then…” He cast a sideways glance at Max, and Cat nodded.

“Can you tell Madzie a story, daddy?” And Max looked so excited by the idea, and Madzie nodded, smiling, so Alec looked up helplessly at Catarina.

“Children, how about I read Madzie the story from the book? I can return it tomorrow,” Cat said, smiling, and Alec sighed internally in relief. He had to study, and Cat knew it.

“But daddy does all the voices,” Max whined.

“Max, listen to your father,” Cat said. “See you Monday, then?” she asked, turning to Alec.

“Yeah, okay.” He picked up Max who sulkily wrapped around Alec, and smiled at Madzie. “Bye, Madz.”

“Bye bye, Alec!” she said, smiling, as she put the book in her bag.

* * *

** _An excerpt from _ ** **The Adventures Of A Brave Boy ** ** _(Gideon Archer)_**

_ “I have brought us more wood for the fire, Sir Max.”_

_ Alexander sat down on the fallen tree and put the wood on the green forest ground. The fire crackled merrily, lighting up the dark night around them. Max looked up from his shield._

_ “Advisor, why do you call me that? I am not a knight,” he asked._

_ Alexander threw a broken branch into the fire, and it burned brighter. “You are not a knight, yet. But I see it in your future.” He looked at Max, and for a second, his dark eyes seemed to look into Max’s soul._

_ “Thank you,” Max said, smiling. “It is nice to have someone with such faith in me.”_

_ “I am not the only one. All the commoners in the city have faith that you will be the one to tame the dragon.”_

_ Max was confused. “Tame the dragon?” he asked. “I thought the dragon was to be killed.”_

_ “Then you have much to learn about the princess.”_

_ “Tell me about them, then. Tell me all the things I will need to know.” Max looked at Alexander, his eyes filled with curiosity, green flickering in the light of the fire. Behind them, the horses nickered. Shadow shook her head, and her black mane shivered in the cool winter-night air._

_ Alexander the Wise smiled. “I will. I will tell you all the stories about our kingdom, the ones from the time before you were born, and the ones from after. I will tell you about the dragon, his golden scales that glint and gleam in the sunlight, and how he can fly over blue rivers and snow-covered mountains with his wings that are sharp enough to cut through rock. And I will tell you about the beautiful princess; how she sings, like a nightingale that cannot be quieted by the shroud of night. How her hair can never grow back, because of the curse that was laid on her. I will tell you about the tower on top of the hill, in which they live. How it is surrounded by nothing that can grow, so that all who venture forth lose their hope and turn back._

_ “When I have told you all there is to know, you will succeed, because you are brave, and you are strong, and you are clever. You will know what to do.”_

* * *

“Alec, you should get it published.”

He stared at her for a second. “Nice to meet you too, Cat. How is your day going?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m serious. I have a friend. If you’re okay with it, I can show him. He’s an editor.”

“I-” He sighed. “Look, I don’t have the time. Okay? I’m graduating in a couple months, and hell knows how I’m gonna break that to my family, because they don’t know about the whole arrangement.”

“Alec,” she started, a little disapprovingly.

“Don’t.” He sighed and looked up at the school gate. “What time is it?”

“Uh, three fifty-eight.”

“They’ll be out soon.” They stood in silence.

“Alec,” Cat sighed. “Why don’t you want this out there? It’s really well written, and interesting, and the characters seem real.”

He stayed silent.

Cat turned away. “Well, if you ever-”

“Okay,” Alec burst. “Yes. I want to publish it. It’s been my dream for years. Well, not publishing this, exactly, but I’ve always wanted to be a writer.”

When Alec didn’t say anything more, Cat prompted, “But?”

"I'm not doing it under my name.”

* * *

From: alightwood@yahoo.com

Date: 8 September, 2019 (2:06 AM)

To: mbane@alicantepublishers.com

Dear Mr. Bane,

My name is Alec Lightwood. I'm 23 years old and am currently studying at the Harvard School of Law. I have never published anything before. A friend, Catarina Loss, gave me your email.

Attached you will find the first 3 chapters of my novel "Adventures of a Brave Boy", along with a synopsis of the whole plot. I would love to publish my novel with Alicante Publishers, because Alicante is known for its books in the fantasy genre, and I feel my novel can add to its wide array of great stories.

Sincerely,

Alec Lightwood.

* * *

From: mbane@alicantepublishers.com

Date: 10 September, 2019 (9:34 AM)

To: alightwood@yahoo.com

Dear Mr. Lightwood,

While your enthusiasm for publishing with Alicante is admirable, at the moment, we have too many books in the waiting list to add to them. We offer our most sincere apologies, and hope that you will try again at a later date.

Sincerely,

Magnus Bane

Junior Editor, Alicante Publishers.

* * *

“Daddy, why are you sad?"

“Hm?” Alec looked up from his spaghetti. “What was that?”

“Why are you sad?” Max asked patiently. He had pasta sauce all over his face, having chosen to forego the fork in favour of his exceptionally effective hands.

“I’m not sad,” Alec said automatically, lifting the fork to his mouth.

“No, but you are being broody. You’ve been broody all through the study session. Spill, Lightwood,” Maia said, taking another serving.

“I sent in the book to Alicante,” Alec sighed. “It got rejected.”

“Oh, Alec.” Maia put down the serving spoon. “You should have told me; I’d have come over earlier!”

“It’s okay,” Alec said, taking a bite. “I wasn’t really expecting to get accepted right off the bat.”

“You were, though. Otherwise you wouldn’t be like this.”

“No, it’s not that.” He leaned back in his chair and looked out the window. “They didn’t even read it.”

“But did you tell them about the dragon, Daddy?” Max butted in.

Alec couldn’t help smiling. “Yeah, buddy. I told them it was fantasy, and fantasy always has dragons.”

“Doesn’t,” Maia started. Alec glared at her, and she rolled her eyes and went back to her plate.

“Don’t worry, Daddy,” Max leaned across his high chair and patted Alec’s hand. “If you tell them about the dragon they’ll read it.”

Alec laughed.

“Maia, do you want to see my pirate drawing?”

“Maybe after dinner, Maxie.”

* * *

From: magnus42@gmail.com

Date: 10 September, 2019 (11:23 PM)

To: alightwood@yahoo.com

Dear Mr. Lightwood,

Hey, I’m Magnus. You sent your novel to my office email two days ago. I read it, and honestly, I think it’s really great. I’ve also had a talk with Catarina, and she’s told me about you, and your whole pen name condition. But as a junior editor, I don’t have any way of pushing anything forward, I can only recommend stuff, and that only works if the queue is a little free. 

The official thing is true, there really are far too many novels queued up for you to have an in right now. But if you’re willing to wait, I can push it when it’s most likely to stick.

My apologies for reaching out through my personal email. I just think it’s impossible to say anything in corporate speak, and I thought anyone who wrote something that cool deserved more than that rejection. (Also, may I see the rest of the novel? You’ve left me on tenterhooks 👀👀)

My best regards,

Magnus Bane.

* * *

“Hello?”

_ “Someone sounds happy. How are you, Alec? How’s Maxie?”_

“We’re doing great, Lyds. Max loves his school. Uh, what’s up? You don’t usually call before Max is awake.”

_ “Oh, I have to head out soon; I’m not calling for Maxie today. Just wanted to warn you. Izzy’s gonna be coming over on your birthday, sometime in the afternoon. It’s a surprise and I’m not supposed to tell you, so you have to be surprised, yeah?”_

Alec laughed. “Will do. I’m going to drop Max off with Cat, this time. Thanks for the notice.”

_ “Anytime. What are you cooking? I can hear sizzling.”_

“Just omelets. Okay, I have to go or I’ll burn them. Bye, thanks!”

_ “Bye, Alec! Call tonight!”_

* * *

** _An excerpt from _ ** **The Adventures Of A Brave Boy ** ** _(Gideon Archer)_**

_ “Princess,” Max said, kneeling on the final step and bowing his head. “I am Max. I serve in the King’s army, and I have come to bear you home.”_

_ “Rise, knight.” She walked to the bed gracefully and sat down. “Do you not know that I cannot return?”_

_ “I know. And I know what to do so you can.”_

_ The Princess cast aside her eyes. “There is nothing you can do.”_

_ “I can! I know how to break the spell binding you to the dragon.”_

_ She looked up in confusion. “Are you a wizard?”_

_ “No. And neither am I a knight, my lady.”_

_ “Then who are you?”_

_ “Simply a boy, eager to bear you to the home where your family await.” Through the window of the tall tower, Max could see far; over the dusty ground that lay for miles ahead, somewhere, there was his own home._

_ “Then you cannot help me.”_

_ “Why?”_

_ “Because my home is here. At my brother’s side.”_

_ “Your brother? Does he live here as well?”_

_ The princess smiled regally, as one about to tell a great secret. “The dragon everyone seems so eager to kill. He is my brother.”_

* * *

“Izzy!”

“Happy birthday, Alec!” Izzy threw her arms around him.

“This is such a surprise! What brings you to Chicago?”

Izzy leaned back and squinted at him. “It’s your birthday.”

“Oh, yeah,” Alec said, pretending to think. “I forgot about that.”

“How the hell do you forget your own birthday every year?” She shouldered her way past him, dragging her suitcase into the living room. “Wow, do you even live here? Why’s your house so clean? I’d say you didn’t live here if I didn’t see all your toys on that table.”

“It’s called being responsible,” Alec deadpanned, shutting the door. “You should try it sometime.” 

“No, it’s called being boring,” she called over her shoulder, making her way to the kitchen.

“And, uh, they’re not toys, they’re action figures.” Alec grinned, following her.

“Toys. And, oh,” she said, opening a cupboard door. “No responsible adult would ever buy so many boxes of- _ is that Apple Jacks? _”

“...I like the taste,” Alec protested, shutting the door. “Also, you’re not allowed in the kitchen.”

“I’m _ hungry _,” she whined. Alec stared at her, one hand on the cupboard door. She stared right back, raising a single eyebrow.

Alec broke the stare, huffing out a laugh. “You know, usually, the birthday boy is pampered.”

“Which is why I got us a spa appointment.”

Alec paused while opening the fridge door. “You _ what _? It’s a school night!”

“Chill. It’s on Saturday. I know you won’t bunk.”

Alec sputtered. “You’re staying till _ Saturday _?”

“Sunday, actually. You don’t sound too happy about it.”

“It’s not- I _ am _ glad that you’re here, Izzy, you know I am. But I’m- uh, I’m babysitting for a friend this weekend.”

Izzy giggled. “You and _ babysitting _?”

“Yeah, so, I’m sorry, but you really can’t stay… Would you like to go to the spa today, instead?”

* * *

From: alightwood@yahoo.com

Date: 29 September, 2019 (1:56 PM)

To: magnus42@gmail.com

Hey,

You’re right, that chapter does sound a little sketchy. Do you have any better ideas on taming the dragon? Because unless Max does that, the princess won’t go with him, and killing isn’t an option here for obvious reasons.

Yeah! Though I think my favorite is chocolate. Maxie always grabs the weird berry flavor, though, so that’s what we always have at home. I’ve never seen banana on the shelves, do you order them online?

Listen, there’s something I’ve been meaning to bring up. Maybe we’d talk better over text. Would you mind exchanging numbers? I promise not to disturb you during office hours, I’d be at college anyway.

Yours truly,

Alec.

* * *

_ “...And you’ll never guess who I met today!”_

“No, I probably won’t. Who was it?”

_ “John Monteverde!”_

Alec looked at Lydia blankly, and she rolled her eyes. _ “He was in high school with us? Literally the guy-”_

“Oh, yeah, that dude you had a crush on.”

Lydia glared through the screen. _ “I didn’t have a_ crush_ on him, I just thought he was hot-”_

“Which was a dumb thought, he looked exactly like a jock, Lydia-”

_ “You know, he kinda looked like you back then-”_

“Why the hell would you say something like that?!”

_ “ _ Anyway _ , he offered to buy me a drink, next time we met, and we exchanged numbers-”_

“Tell me more about how you don’t have a crush on him.”

_ “Oh, hush. Anyway, I’m happy about it.”_

“Yeah, hey, you wanted to get back into dating, right? Go for it!”

_ “Too early to think about it, Alec. Oh, hey, didn’t Maxie have a PTA meeting? What happened about that?”_

“Ended up postponing it, I had to prepare for the final project. It’s tomorrow, now.”

_ “Tell me how it goes. Oh, yeah, would you like me to visit for your bar exam? I can stay a couple weeks, spend some time with Max. You need to study.”_

“That would be great! You’d really do that? Lyds, that would be a huge help.”

_ “Consider it payback for all the times you made me study when I didn’t want to.”_

* * *

_ SOS!!!!_

**What’s wrong**

**?**

_ My cat is evil _

_ He tore up my night out shirt _😭😭😭

**Well he might have liked the feel of it on his claws**

_ UGHHHH I HATE YOU _

_ anyway u gotta help, choose silk red with deep neckline or velvet purple with gold insets??_

**Idk, what’s more comfortable?**

_ whoms’t _

_ hoe Im going to a club I need to be hot not comfortable_

**Okay, deep neckline sounds good**

**?**

**Hey??**

**Where’d you go?**

_ I chose leather jacket, wish me luck_

**That wasn’t even an option!**

**But best of luck <3 <3 <3**

_ Get with the millenium, darling_💖💖💖

* * *

“Heya, little dude, big dude. Finally found the time to come over?”

“Maia!” Maxie threw his hands around Maia’s legs.

“Sorry I’m dropping him on you like this,” Alec said, smiling at her and stepping inside. “My sister’s visiting and Cat’s pretty busy already.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Maia said. She shut the door behind Alec and knelt down, pulling Maxie off her. “‘Sides, I get to mess around with Maxie. How’s your project going?”

“I’m hungry,” Max declared, shrugging off his pirate backpack and throwing it on the couch. He then clambered on after it and sat down, swinging his legs.

“Uh, it was yesterday. Went fine, I think. How’s your finals going?”

“Pretty hectic, actually. Hey, Maxie, here.” She pulled a box of juice out the fridge and waved it at Max, who grabbed it eagerly. “I could use some help, you willing to stay a while?”

“I’m sorry, I have to get home before my sister does. But, uh, today at, say, 10?”

Maia laughed. “Oh, stop worrying so much. I’ll be fine. Gimme that,” she said, and pulled Max’s overnight bag out of Alec’s hand. “Mr. Duckhead’s in here?”

“Yeah. Uh, Izzy’s flight should be here any minute, so…”

“Go on, get lost, Lightwood. We have more fun when you’re not here, don’t we, Maxie?”

“Nooooooooooooooo,” Max giggled, looking up at Alec, who was also smiling.

“Suckup,” Maia said, pinching his nose.

“Careful what you call my son, Maia.”

“What? You know it’s true.”

* * *

** _An excerpt from _ ** **The Adventures Of A Brave Boy ** ** _(Gideon Archer)_**

_ And then there was silence._

_ Max felt weak. The talon of the eagle had ripped through his shoulder, and his wine-dark blood stained his robe. His armor lay discarded all about him on the ground, and he thought, for a second, that his mother would miss him. His sword clattered to the ground, and he fell backwards. Two strong arms caught him._

_ “Sir Max,” a voice was saying. “Open your mouth.”_

_ “I am not a knight, Prince,” he found himself saying without thought. But his mouth was open. Alexander held a goblet to his lips, and he drank, coughing and choking._

_ Suddenly, miraculously, he found himself healed. If he hadn’t felt the still-wet blood, and the cool air against the skin on his shoulder, he might have believed that he was never hurt at all._

_ “My blood,” the Prince said. “It can heal all but the most fatal wounds.” _

_ Max stumbled out of his arms. A cool wind blew across the empty desert, tousling his hair._

_ “Thank you, my Prince. I am in debt to you.”_

_ “There is no debt among friends, Max.”_

* * *

“Hey, Lydia, here!” Alec raised a hand in the air, the other carefully balancing Max on his shoulders. Lydia looked over and smiled brightly, pushing her trolley through the airport crowd.

Alec put Maxie down, stepping forward to hug Lydia.

“It’s so great to see you after so long!” Lydia laughed as Alec grabbed her trolley. Maxie stared up at her, mouth open. She knelt down beside him.

“Hello, Maxie,” she said, offering him a hand. He took it, a little mesmerized.

“Ready to go, buddy?”

“Daddy, how did Lydia come out the phone?” he asked, turning to Alec.

“Oh. Oh, wow.” Lydia got up as Alec snorted. “Nice of you to not tell him I’m real.”

“Don’t look at me,” Alec protested. “Okay, buddy, you know how we talk to Catarina and Madzie on the phone? Lydia is like that.”

“But- Lydia has a phone house!” Max said, distraught. 

“What’s a phone house?” Alec picked him up and put him in the trolley.

“Gimme phone,” Max demanded. Alec did. A few seconds later, Lydia’s phone rang in her pocket. She picked up.

“Hello, Maxie,” Lydia said, biting her lip to suppress the laughter threatening to come out.

“Daddy, look at phone Lydia!”

* * *

_ Hey _

_ Alexanderrrrr _

_ Why aren’t you talking to me today????????? _

**Sorry! **

**I’m studying for my bar exam, it’s next week**

**I probably won’t respond for a while :/**

_ Oh _

_ Okay, I won’t disturb you then! _

_ Best of luck, okay?_

**Thanks :)**

💖💖💖

* * *

**Hey!**

_ All done with your exam?_

**Stepping** **out the hall right now. I’m still feeling a little high**.

_ How’d it go?_

**Fine, I guess. Talk to you when I get home?**

_ I’m right here _😘

* * *

“Alec! Get out here!” Lydia called.

“Lemme sleep,” Alec grumbled, pulling Maxie closer.

“Alec!”

“_What? _” He got, rubbing his eyes.

“You have a letter,” she said, walking in and waving an envelope. He grabbed it, squinting. Then he blinked.

“You have to stop bringing me tidings of my fate,” he breathed.

“What?”

“The. I think this is the results.”

Silence. A rustle of paper, a rip, another rustle. A breath.

“I… passed.”

* * *

_ ALEXANDER I HAVE NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! _

_ CHECJ YUOR EMAIL NOWWWWWWWWWWWW_

* * *

From: mbane@alicantepublishers.com

Date: 9 May, 2020 (8:56 AM)

To: alightwood@yahoo.com

Dear Mr. Lightwood,

We are delighted to inform you that your book, _ Adventures of a Brave Boy _, has been accepted into the Alicante publishing house. If you are willing to publish with us, kindly reply to this email with further contact details.

Sincerely,

Magnus Bane

Junior Editor, Alicante Publishers.

* * *

_ So would nine on Friday be okay?_

**That's perfect, I’ll be there!**

_ You better <3_

**Aww, you’re catching my manners**

_ Idk what you mean _ 💖 _ Don’t forget to bring your book!_

* * *

Alec was early. As such, he had finished his coffee, and was now contemplating a donut.

A whirlwind burst through the café door.

“Hey, Jake!” he said to the cashier. Alec stared at him- he couldn’t help himself. The man drew the attention of almost everyone around him.

After a short conversation with Jake, he looked around, finally settling on Alec and the backpack next to him. Alec had a sudden urge to run his fingers through his hair.

Beaming, the man walked over. “You must be Alexander?”

Alec stood up clumsily. “Magnus?” 

“Nice to put a face to the name,” Magnus grinned, sitting down. “It’s a pretty face too.”

“Look who’s talking,” Alec said, pulling up his chair and relaxing a little when Magnus laughed.

“Didn’t realise you were a flirt,” he teased.

“Look who’s talking,” Alec repeated, grinning.

“Oh, touché. So. I have some documents for you to read; you can look through them. I’m supposed to read the novel while you do that, but that’s already done. Here,” he said, handing Alec a sheaf of papers from the bag slung around his shoulder.

“Uh, thanks. I brought the book, like you said.”

“Gimme, reading it again can’t hurt,” Magnus said. Alec pulled out his laptop, smiling.

The next hour went by in quiet peace. Jake brought them refills. Empty plates with donut crumbs sat all over the table. When Alec had a question, he asked Magnus about it. As Magnus read, he made small comments to Alec about what he liked and what he didn’t.

Finally, Alec turned the last page of the document with a sigh. “Okay, I think it’s fine. This is a pretty generous offer, really.”

Magnus looked up from the laptop. “Yeah, I managed to convince Ragnor to give you a go.”

Alec frowned. “Didn’t you say he was mad at you?”

“Yeah, he is. But I told him about you, and he said- uh, he said someone like you deserves a chance.”

“Someone like me, huh?” Alec said, grinning and leaning forward. “You must have talked me up a lot.”

Magnus shrugged. “I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true.”

“Well, what else did he say?”

“That I must like you a lot to talk so much about you. Well, he didn’t say it that nicely, but that was the gist.” Magnus shut the lid of the laptop and focused all his attention on Alec.

“And was he right?”

“Yes.”

“I like you too,” Alec said, a little softer.

* * *

Alec opened the door to find Lydia reading on the couch. “Hey, Lyds. Where’s Maxie?” Magnus stepped in behind him.

“Inside, asleep,” she said, getting up and looking Magnus over. “Who’s this? 

Alec put aside his backpack. “Magnus, meet Lydia, Max’s mom. Lydia, this is Magnus.”

“Oh, it’s nice to finally meet you,” Lydia said, smiling at him. “Alec’s told me so much about you.”

“All good things, I hope?” he asked.

Lydia’s eyes flicked to Alec’s in a silent question. He half- smiled and shrugged.

“Only the best,” she grinned, then. “Max asked me today if Alec had a boyfriend.”

“Oh?” Magnus said, grinning. “And what did you tell him?”

“The truth,” Lydia said, giving Alec a fond glance. “Yes.”

Alec reached out and took Magnus’ hand. “Would you like to meet Maxie?”

“Maybe next time,” laughed Magnus. “Wouldn’t want to wake him.”

“You’re probably right, it’s late,” Alec said, biting his lip. “Thanks for dropping me home.”

“It was completely selfish, I assure you, darling,” Magnus said, taking Alec’s other hand. “I only wanted to spend more time with you.”

“As wonderful as it is to watch Alec getting flustered,” Lydia said, “I’m sleepy, so I’m going to go to bed now.”

Startling, Alec took a step backwards. Magnus laughed. 

“It was nice to meet you,” he said to Lydia, and turned to the door. “See you tomorrow, Alexander?”

“Of course,” Alec said. “Goodnight!”

“Goodnight,” Magnus said, and shut the door behind him. Alec stared at the door a few seconds longer, chewing his lip.

“What, are you sad he didn’t kiss you?” Lydia asked, getting up and stretching.

“Yeah, kinda,” Alec admitted, then walked inside, grinning when he felt Lydia staring after him.

* * *

** _An excerpt from _ ** **The Adventures Of A Brave Boy ** ** _(Gideon Archer, p. August 2020)_**

_ When they entered the city, there was much rejoicing. Bright lights glinting in the afternoon sun shone into their eyes. The citizens gasped and whispered as the golden dragon circled thrice about the city. Max held on to Alexander a little tighter, and the Princess to Max, as the Prince descended onto the castle’s red-brown turrets._

_ They slid off the dragon’s back, careful not to slide too far, off the balcony. The astonished face of the King stared at them through the throne room._

_ “My liege,” Alexander said, kneeling with one hand behind his back. “As your will.”_

_ “Rise, Advisor. What is the meaning of this? Why have you brought the dragon here?”_

_ There was a bright light from behind them. Remembering the tower, Max shielded his eyes. When he opened them again, there was an astounded look on the King’s face._

_ “Father,” said the Prince. “I have returned.”_

_ “But- but how?” said the King. “I was told you were dead.”_

_ “I was simply cursed,” he smiled. “This boy broke the curse.” Gesturing at the King and smiling happily at Max, the Prince stepped aside. Max knelt, his eyes lowered in deference._

* * *

“Thank you, ma’am,” Alec said, getting up and shaking the hand of the woman seated across him. “I’m honored to be here.”

“Oh, the pleasure’s all ours, Mr. Lightwood,” she said. “When would you like to start work?”

“Would Monday be fine?” Alec asked.

“Sure.”

As Alec walked out into the hall, he let his shoulders fall and took a deep breath. Smiling, he pulled out his phone.

**I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

_ CONGRATULATIONS!!! _

_ wbk tho, ur smart as hell_

**Meet me at the café?**

_ Now?_

**Yeah**

_ Race you there! _<3<3<3

Alec laughed out loud; pocketing the phone, he stepped out of the building.

* * *

“Hey, Alexander!"

Alec turned around, the beginnings of a giddy smile on his face. 

“Hey, Magnus! Didn’t expect to meet you here.” 

“Yeah, don’t sound so disappointed. Friday night is still on. I’m here to pick Madzie up,” he said, putting a hand on the school gate and jutting out his hip. Alec wanted to kiss him.

Then he thought, _ why not? _ and went for it.

“Mm, hello to you too,” Magnus said, smiling. “I have news for you, Mr. Gideon Archer,” he said. Alec didn’t take his hands off Magnus’ hips.

“Yeah?” he said, tugging him a little closer. “And what might that be?”

“Sir Max seems to be doing really well,” Magnus grinned, eager and open, and Alec went in for another kiss. “Mmm, _ Alexander! _School zone,” Magnus said, pulling away. Laughing, Alec gave up, choosing to stand where he was, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

“Well?”

“_ As _I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted-” Alec giggled again, and wasn’t that such a nice feeling? “-your book is doing pretty good! We’re going to put up more publicity, and there’s second orders coming in from all over the country.” Magnus looked over the grounds as the school bell rang, then back at Alec. “Would you like to celebrate with me?”

“Magnus,” Alec breathed, and pulled him into a hug. “That’s- that’s amazing news!” His hands slid down to Magnus’ waist.

"I know,” Magnus laughed. “And I have to thank you, because Ragnor is finally off my back for those last couple of books.”

“That’s good news too,” Alec said, eyes crinkling. He let go of Magnus. “Café?”

“As soon as we grab the kids.”

* * *

A small habit that Alec had was to pick the phone up without looking at the screen first. It was harmless, wasn’t it. Until it wasn’t.

“Hey, Magnus! I’m just heading out to drop Max off at Cat’s place.We’re still good for tonight, right?”

_ “Alec?” _ A confused voice sounded through the speaker, and Alec froze halfway through pouring a glass of water.

“Daddy, I’m ready!” Maxie said loudly, bursting through the kitchen door. 

_ “Alec, what’s going on? Was that a kid in the background?”_

“Max,” Alec breathed, putting down the bottle.

“Yeah?” Maxie said, walking closer.

_“That was definitely a kid, Izzy._ _He said he babysits for someone sometimes.__ Yeah, but I heard him say daddy. __Alec, are you there?”_

“Yeah, uh, hi, Max,” Alec managed, collapsing onto the counter barstool. “What’s up?”

_ “What’s u- You tell me. I just read this book. It’s by a guy named Gideon Archer.”_

Alec said nothing. There was a huge lump in his throat. It was getting hard to breath. His cheeks felt hot, and kinda hurt a little.

_ “Magnus is your editor, right? Alec? No, wait, mom, let me talk to- _ _ ”_

Alec took a deep, shuddering breath.

_ “Alec? Explain yourself, right this instant. Did you write this book?”_

Two deep breaths. “What’s happening, daddy?”

“Give me five minutes, Maxie, okay?” Because he was the only family he may have left after this. “Go wait on the sofa.”

_ “Alexander, who are you talking to?”_

“Yes. Yeah, I wrote that book.”

_ “What is the meaning of this? You are in Harvard to study, not to write such asinine-”_

“I’m not in Harvard anymore.”

A pause. _ “Alexander Gideon Lightwood, if you got yourself expelled from Harvard-”_

“I didn’t.”

_ “Do you mean to say you _ ** _left_ ** _ ?”_

“No, mom, look- okay. Mom, I graduated, okay? I have a job now, I’m a junior associate at this place-”

_ “What on earth do you mean you’ve graduated?”_

“I took this- uh, fast track course, worked it out with the Dean.”

_ “Why- And who was that child, earlier?”_

What the hell, might as well go for it. “Mom, I have a son.”

Complete silence. Except for his own deep, panicked breaths, echoing through the phone lines. What would you say to a sentence like that?

“His name is Max. He’s four years old.”

_ “And you hid all this from us? Alexander, you will come home right this-”_

“No!” Wait. Calm down. Don’t make it worse. “No, mom. Sorry. I don’t want to.”

_ “I want an explanation. Now.”_

“I hid it because I didn’t want to tell you, okay? You would have made it worse, probably stopped my Harvard thing, paid Lydia off and made her abort or something-”

_ “Oh, I knew that insufferable little girl would be involved in this. I never approved of-”_

“Mom, it’s not her fault, okay? Please don’t blame her-”

_ “How on earth is it not her fault? She must have seduced you, forced you to-”_

“She didn’t _ seduce _me! Or, or, or force me to do anything!”

_ “Oh, you think so but I know her type-”_

“Mom! Stop it!”

_ “How dare you- Mom, give me the phone. _ _ Isabelle- No, stop. Mom. You’re being rude."_Muffled scrapes. Footsteps, and a door shut. _ “Hey, Alec.”_

“...Hey, Izzy. It’s nice to hear your voice.”

_ “Same here, but Alec, what the hell is going on? Who was mom talking about, ‘seduced you’?”_

“Oh, uh, Lydia.”

_ “Lydia… seduced you.”_

“Yeah.”

_ “Okay, please explain. Didn’t you two used to date like, four years ago? I thought you broke up!”_

“Uh. We… were never dating.”

_ “What? Wait, back up. What the hell?”_

“I got Lyds pregnant, we were drunk, and-”

_ “Lydia was _ ** _pregnant_ ** _ ? Alec, please start from the starting.”_

Alec took a deep breath. “Izzy, can we please not do this right now? I- I- I- I don’t feel so good.”

_ “Oh, Alec,” _ Izzy said, voice softening. _ “Of course. Can I talk to Lydia about this?”_

“I- yeah. Yeah. She knows the whole story.”

_ “Okay. And I’m going to deal with mom, and I’m going to have to tell her everything, okay? And dad too, when he comes home. Just- don’t pick up any of our calls. I’ll text you when it blows over. All right?”_

“Okay. Izzy, thanks. I- I mean it.”

_ “I always have your back, Alec. You could have told me earlier.”_

“I know. I’m sorry.”

_ “We’ll talk about it later. Is there anything else?”_

“Yeah.”

_ “Wanna tell me?”_

“Iz- Iz, I’m gay.”

A pause. _ “Oh, I forgot about that. Yeah, you told me, I remember.”_

“No- Izzy, I told you I was bi. I’m… not. I’m gay.” Somehow, that was easier to say now.

_ “Oh.” _Another, long, excruciating pause. 

Alec cut the call. He fiddled with the phone for a minute. Then he switched it off and covered his face with his hands, a little unsurprised to find it wet. He sat there, taking deep, shuddering breaths.

“Come on, Maxie,” he said a while later, getting up and pushing the tears off his face. “Time to go, buddy.”

* * *

“Alexander! I wasn’t expecting you this ea- _ mmph._” Alec pushed Magnus up against the door, kissing him desperately. He focused on Magnus. The hands on his waist. The feel of Magnus’ thighs against his own. Soft lips, pressing against him.

“_Oh._” They both broke apart, gasping. Alec shuddered and went back in for another, but Magnus ducked his head back. “Alec, wait.”

Alec stepped back, feeling a little lost. Magnus was looking at him in a concerned way that made him want to hide in a corner. “What- what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong with me. You’re not okay. Come inside, darling.” Magnus gestured, and Alec followed him. Magnus shut the door.

“Talk to me,” he said, after pushing Alec down onto the sofa and sitting down next to him, holding Alec’s hands in his own. “What happened?”

“My… my family. They found out that I wrote the book. I don’t- I don’t know how they found out, I was so careful, right? I didn’t use my name, well not all of it anyway, and I told them about Maxie, and-”

“Alec.”

“-then I came out to Izzy, for real this time, so-”

“Alexander!”

“What?” he asked, breathing deeply.

“Calm down,” Magnus said softly, raising a hand to stroke his face. “You’re shaking.”

They sat in silence for a while, until Alec’s breathing evened out. Magnus pressed soft kisses to his cheeks, his forehead, and murmured soothing words into his skin. 

“My phone is switched off,” Alec said eventually.

“Why?”

“I don’t want to pick up Izzy’s calls. I don’t want to pick up _ anyone’s _calls.”

“You don’t have to,” Magnus soothed. “How about this, I’ll turn on your phone, and if I see that Catarina or Maia are calling you, I’ll pick it up? I’ll ignore all other calls, okay?”

“Okay.” Alec was crashing, he could feel it. His eyes were heavy and drooped down mutinously. The repetitive stroking of Magnus’ thumb on the back of his hand was lulling him to sleep and making it harder to think. “Phone’s in my pocket.”

“All right, darling. Come on, my bed is far more comfortable than the sofa.”

Alec walked inside with barely half a mind, leaning heavily on Magnus. He let himself be tucked in, and fell asleep the second his head touched the pillow.

* * *

"Hey, John,” Lydia said brightly, putting her bag down and sitting on the chair opposite him.

“Oh, hey there, gorgeous,” John said, shutting the menu and leaning forward. “I was starting to think you wouldn’t show.”

“I just got stuck in traffic,” Lydia rolled her eyes, smiling. “Besides, why wouldn’t I show? Have you ordered already?”

“Oh, yeah, you love margaritas, right?”

“Yeah,” Lydia said, looking up in surprise. “How’d you know that?”

“Well, remember that freshman party, in like the first week of college?”

“Oh, yeah!” she said, in a voice that suggested that she hadn’t thought about it in years. This was a lie. “You were there too?”

“Uh, yeah?” John grinned shyly. “Was I such an unmemorable lay?”

“What?" 

“Apparently so,” he muttered to himself, and sighed. “Uh, I brought you a couple beers, but you said you prefer margaritas, and we both got a little drunk and messed around for a bit. Then that guy, Lightfoot or something, he came over and you went with him. I was actually gonna ask you out, but, y’know,” he half-shrugged. “ Last I heard, you both were dating. So I kinda gave up.”

“Lightwood,” Lydia corrected automatically, her mind far away, specifically 200 miles away, with Alec and Maxie. _ Oh no._

“...Lydia?” John asked hesitantly. “Are you okay?”

All at once, she pulled herself together. “Yes, I’m fine,” she smiled. “So, what have you been up to the last few years?”

* * *

Alec woke to the feeling of a kiss to his forehead.

“Good morning, Alexander,” Magnus said, pulling a hand through Alec’s hair. Alec smiled.

“Morning, Magnus,” he said, stifling a yawn and sitting upright. “What time is it?”

“It’s just past seven. Maxie is still asleep.”

“Why are you up so early?” Alec asked, yawning again. “It’s Sunday. C’mere and cuddle.”

“I’m afraid something’s come up at work, darling,” Magnus smiled apologetically. “Ragnor says he’s on the verge of signing a new deal and it’s supposed to be pretty big, so I have to be there by eight.”

“Ugh,” Alec said, flopping back onto the pillow.

“Look, how about I’ll come over when I’m done, huh? It won’t take long, maybe a couple of hours at most, okay? We can spend the day together, take Max to the zoo or something.”

“That sounds great, actually. I can work on those case notes while Max is asleep,” Alec sighed, turning his head to look up at Magnus. “Are you done with breakfast?”

“Yeah, had a bowl of cereal. Oh, by the way, Lydia called you a bunch of times last night at around one AM, so you should probably call her.”

“Lydia,” Alec groaned. “Maybe Izzy told her and-”

“At one AM, Alexander. Call her.”

“Okay, yeah. Where’s my ph- okay, 32 missed calls is a lot, how come I didn’t wake up?”

“Alec, stop stalling.”

“I’m not stalling, okay? Here, see. I’m calling her now.”

“Okay, darling,” Magnus said, kissing Alec’s forehead. “Have fun, see you in a few hours!”

“Bye,” Alec called out. The door shut and the phone rang out, so he tried again. This time, Lydia answered in the first few seconds.

_ “Hello?” _It sounded as if she was just waking up.

“Hey, Lyds!” Alec said. The tension of that Friday night was all almost gone by now. Over the course of Saturday, Alec had realised that he couldn’t change what had happened. But he was happy, and there was next to nothing that would make him want to give his son up.

_ “Alec,” _ Lydia said, sounding suddenly awake and relieved. _ “Alec, are you okay?”_

“Yeah,” Alec sighed. “I mean, I’m kinda avoiding my entire family, but I’ll be okay. What’s up, why’d you call me last night?”

_ “I... have some news. Are you sitting down?”_

"Yeah, I’m sitting down. Just woke up, actually. Magnus just left, something at work. Is the news so bad?”

_ “Alec…” _ Now she sounded like she was going to cry. _ “Alec, Max isn’t yours.”_

Alec laughed, then cut himself off. “What? Of course he is. He’s yours too. We’re both-”

_ “No, Alec, that’s-” _ Her voice broke in a sob. _ “That’s not what- John, he’s Maxie’s father. I, I had a date with him yesterday, and- and-”_

“No,” Alec whispered.

_ “-and he remembered that stupid party, and apparently I slept with him and then you came to get me or something-”_

“No.”

_ “-and, and, I didn’t tell him about Maxie, and he, he just- I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry-”_

“NO!” Alec yelled, and threw his phone across the room.

_ What now?_

He had changed the course of his life. Changed everything that might have been.

_ Oh. Oh, no._

What was he doing, before Maxie? Before that day? Wasn’t he going to change his major? Yes, and after that, he was going to come out. It was all planned out. 

_ I can’t- I can’t breathe._

He was going to be happy and free, free of the extra responsibilities. Everything college could have been. 

_ Why is everything so blurry, why is it so hot here, why is the room spinning?_

All the friends he could have had, all the places he could have gone. He wouldn’t have had to work for money once he had the scholarship. He wouldn’t have had to study so hard to graduate sooner for a better-paying job.

_ I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, I can’t-_

“Daddy?”

Max stood in the doorway, rubbing his eyes. In his hand was his stuffed dragon, being carried along by the leg.

“Why are you crying?” Maxie said, walking over sleepily. “I heard you say ‘no’ really loudly. Did you have a nigh’mare?” He climbed into Alec’s lap, while Alec sat there, frozen. “I got you Pirate Dragon. Don’ worry, you’re okay now,” he said, and immediately fell asleep on Alec’s chest.

Alec let out a deep breath, and wiping his eyes, wrapped his arms around Maxie and pulled him closer.

_ But I wouldn’t give this up for the world._

* * *

** _An excerpt from _ ** **The Adventures Of A Brave Boy ** ** _(Gideon Archer, p. August 2020)_**

_ “Rise, Sir Max,” said the King, “And may you live a long life.”_

_ “I am honored to serve in your name, Sire.” Max stood up in his new shiny armor. The colourful light from the painted windows fell all around them, bathing everyone present in halos. The King handed him his new sword in its scabbard. Max fastened it to his waist and looked up, into the smiling face of the King._

_ “Go, Max,” Alexander said softly from behind him. “The feast waits for nobody.”_

_ Max laughed as he leaped over the three short stairs that led down from the throne. The Prince and the Princess waited for him at the bottom._

_ “Ready, Sir Max?” the Prince grinned, slinging an arm around his shoulders._

_ “Ready.”_

* * *

“Are you ready, Maxie?” Alec called from the living room. “Hurry up if you don’t want to be late!”

“Almost!” Magnus called back. “Just the laces left!”

“Come on, your breakfast is getting cold!” Alec pulled the pancake off the stove and turned it over onto a plate.

“What do you think?” Magnus said, carrying in a giggling Max on his shoulders. “Is this fancy enough for a party?”

Alec turned and squinted. “...Maybe take the chains off.”

“But daddy, it looks good,” Max whined as Magnus set him down on the counter.

“Those will also feel heavy after a while, buddy,” Alec said, pointing with his spatula. “And three is too many.”

“Please, daddy, pleeeeeease!” 

“Yeah, please, daddy,” Magnus laughed.

Alec relented, glaring at Magnus playfully. “Maybe you can keep the blue one, it’s small enough. But take the others off.” He turned back to the pan and poured out some more batter.

“Mmm, Alec, this tastes really good,” Magnus said. “Where’s the maple syrup?”

“Sorry, we ran out last week. Jam’s in that cupboard, though.”

“Magnus, can’t you come with us?” Max said, swinging his legs and stabbing into his pancakes with a fork.

“Don’t play with your food, Maxie. And I’m sure Magnus has better things to do,” Alec said, flipping the pancake.

“I don’t, actually,” Magnus said, “I could come if you wanted me to.”

“You sure?” Alec said, glancing at Magnus over his shoulder. “There isn’t anything much for the adults to do.”

“Well, since I can’t text you, I’d rather spend the day with you,” Magnus laughed. “You sure you don’t want to get a new phone?”

“Nope. If anyone wants to talk that bad, they can just email me.”

“Alexander.”

“...Maybe later, babe.” He pulled the pancake onto a plate. “Let me avoid everyone a while longer.”

Magnus smiled and blew a kiss to Alec. “As you wish.” Max giggled.

“Do you like cake, Magnus?” Maxie asked. 

“Yes, Maxie, I do like cake,” Magnus said, turning to him. “I like chocolate best. What’s your favorite flavor?”

* * *

“Oh, no, uh, we’re not married,” Alec said, startled, glancing between Mrs. Smith and Magnus.

“Yet,” Magnus said, grinning, and Alec blushed. 

“Magnus,” he hissed.

“Sorry,” she laughed. “Well, either way, would you like to have playdates between Maxie and Kathy? I know they like playing together at school.”

“Uh, that’s actually a great-”

“Just a second, Alec?” Magnus interrupted. “Lydia’s calling me.”

“She has your number?” Alec said, turning to him immediately.

“Yeah, we exchanged numbers when she was visiting. Do you want to...”

“No,” Alec said immediately. “Please.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to her, yeah? Be right back,” Magnus soothed, getting up.

“Who’s Lydia?” Mrs. Smith asked as soon as Magnus was out of sight.

“She’s Maxie’s mother.”

“Oh,” she said. “I thought Maxie was adopted.”

“What? No,” Alec said. “I’ve raised Maxie since the day he was born.”

“Oh, alone? That must have been-”

“Alexander, we have to go,” Magnus said, coming back. “Lydia’s waiting at your place with Izzy and Max.”

“_ What _?”

“Come on, they’ve been there for over an hour. Lydia called to ask if I knew where you are.”

“But…” 

“Maxie, come here,” Magnus called.

“What happened?” Maxie asked, running up to the sofa.

“Maxie, you remember Lydia? She’s waiting for us at home, so we have to go, okay?” Magnus said carefully.

“Magnus-” Alec started.

“Lydia’s home?” Max said, a huge smile blooming on his face. “Wanna see her, daddy, let’s go home!” He grabbed Alec’s hand and started pulling. Alec sighed and stood up.

“I’m not getting out of this, am I.”

“Don’t think so, honey. See you soon, Mrs Smith! Thanks for inviting us!”

* * *

The elevator doors shut in front of them. Alec was feeling way more claustrophobic in here than he usually did. Magnus grabbed his hand and kissed it. 

“Calm down,” he said firmly. “It won’t do any good for you to worry, okay?”

“Yeah, easy for you to say,” Alec grumbled, but squeezed Magnus’ hand anyway.

The doors opened, and Maxie ran out. Alec and Magnus shared a glance, and walked out.

“Who’re you?” Maxie said, stopping before he got to the door. Max stood up from the bag he was sitting on, and Lydia and Izzy looked up from their phones. 

“Maxie,” Lydia breathed in relief, and immediately looked guilty for being relieved. Alec could guess what she had been thinking.

Magnus smiled at Izzy. “You must be Isabelle?” he said. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“You’re Magnus?” she asked. “Lyd-”

“Introductions later,” Max interrupted. “Can we please go inside? My legs hurt.”

Maxie stared at Izzy while Alec opened the door, and Max stared at Maxie.

“You know, Alec,” Max started, turning to look at him, “At first I thought you’d named Sir Max after me.”

“Kinda,” Alec smiled suddenly, as he pushed the door open, “I named Maxie after you.”

“Oh.”

“At least you got a mention,” Izzy complained, laughing. “Even Lydia’s in there, but I’m not.”

“Sorry,” Alec shrugged. “Guess you’re just not important enough.”

Izzy gasped in faux offence as everyone walked inside. Magnus walked to the kitchen to get them some snacks, and Lydia, Max and Izzy sat down. Maxie sat on the counter barstool and looked suspiciously between Izzy and Max.

“It looks so different,” Izzy said. “Everything’s messy as-” Alec glared meaningfully at her. “Uh, everything’s really messy. It looks like you actually live here.”

“Yeah, that’s because I do.”

“You look like daddy,” Maxie said suddenly, staring at Max.

“C’mere, Maxie,” Alec said, sitting down opposite Izzy. “I want you to meet these people.”

Maxie hesitantly walked over and climbed into Alec’s lap.

“This is your Aunt Izzy, and this is your Uncle Max. They’re my siblings.” Maxie took this in, as Max and Izzy waited for him to say something. 

“Whazza siblings?” he asked, looking up at Alec.

“It means a brother or a sister,” Alec explained.

“Oh,” Maxie said. “Can I have a brother orra sister?

Alec felt vaguely panicked. “No,” he said.

Lydia cleared her throat as Magnus walked in with a plate of biscuits.

“Alec, could we talk now?” she said, glancing at Maxie.

“Yeah, okay,” Alec said through the sudden lump in his throat. "Maxie, go inside and play for a while. I'll call you out when we're done, okay?"

"You're speaking grown up things?" Maxie asked seriously.

"Yes, buddy," Magnus said, putting the plate on the table and lifting Maxie off Alec's lap. "Come on, I'll play with you. Alexander told me you have some new crayons?"

As the door to the bedroom shut, Lydia took a deep breath. "Okay, so-"

"I'm not giving up Maxie," Alec burst. Lydia looked startled.

"Alec-"

"No, listen. I, I know I'm not his real father, but I've raised him for five years now, and I'm not giving him up no matter what, and I signed the birth certificate and you can take me to court but-"

"Alec!" Lydia interrupted. "I'm not taking you to court."

"-but I know I'll- what?

"Maxie is yours," Lydia stressed. "Nobody's taking him away from you. You are his father, in all the ways that matter. I’m not taking that away from either of you."

Alec stared at her. "John- he doesn't...?"

"He doesn't know Maxie exists, Alec. Literally nobody in my life knows, except, like, everyone in this house. And I don’t plan to change that."

"Oh," Alec said in a small voice. "So why are you here?"

"To talk," Izzy said. "To talk to you without you cutting the call, or destroying your phone, or changing your name and moving to Canada."

"I wouldn't-"

"You totally would," Izzy said, at the same time as Max's "You would," and Lydia's "Don't try to lie."

"Okay," Alec said huffily. "Fine. Talk to me, then."

"We've all read the book," Max said, smiling. "You're a really good writer. I didn't know."

"You wouldn't," Alec said, smiling. "You were, what? Six? Seven, when all the fights were happening."

"Oh, I remember those," Izzy said. "Mom was all like, 'you have to support your family' this and 'writers don't earn enough' that."

"You literally picked the only two valid arguments they ever made," Alec said, rolling his eyes. "They also told me that my writing was shit, even though they had never read anything I had written, and-"

"Okay, stop," Max said. "Anyway, I'm here to find out if you're going to write a sequel, because the monks in chapter-"

"Max," Izzy warned. 

"Uhhhh, and also to tell you that we love you and support you no matter what mom and dad say," Max said sheepishly.

"Oh," Alec said. The throat lump was back. "That's... nice to hear. Thanks. By the way, what do mom and dad say?"

"You've been disowned," Lydia said, rolling her eyes. "I was there. Your mom called me over on Monday to tell me I'm a slu- uhhhh."

"I know what a slut is," Max said, rolling his eyes. "Please don't treat me like your son."

"Right," Lydia said. "Anyway, they first told me that, then Izzy interrupted to tell them that you're gay, then they tried to call you to confirm it but you weren't picking up, so then they tried to get me to, and I quote, 'make you straight again'." She rolled her eyes. "So when I said no, they yelled at me again, and I was seriously considering stabbing them, by the way."

"So where does the disowning come in?" Alec asked.

"It was somewhere to the end," she said, shrugging. 

"Anyway, Alec, why's your phone not working?" Max asked, showing Alec his phone’s screen. "I'm calling it right now and it isn't ringing."

"I threw it at the wall and it broke," Alec said.

"Oh, that's what that sound was," Lydia exclaimed. "Why didn't you get a new phone?"

"Lydia, this weekend has been pretty heavy on me. I think I deserve a phone free month. Or week, at least."

"Yeah, I guess," Lydia agreed. "So, that's pretty much it, and honestly if you could have listened to what we had to say over the phone, we could have saved a lot of gas money."

"We're staying over for the week, Alec," Max said. "Me and Izzy. To get to know... our nephew," he tested.

"Shit, I'm old," Izzy said to herself. "Auntie Izzy."

"You aren't, Lyds?" Alec asked.

"I have a job, unlike these two degenerates," she said. "I can't afford another holiday. Hell knows how I'm gonna get back home without dying on the way. I actually have to leave in like, fifteen. My Uber guy should text me soon."

"You've been here for less than half an hour," Alec objected.

"We were kinda expecting you to be home," Izzy said. "Who knew you had a life."

"I do have a life, guys."

"We know," Max said. "We saw your hot boyfriend. You need a life to get one of those."

"Awww, he's blushing," Izzy cooed.

"Shut up," Alec said mildly.

“Anyway, we’re mad that you hid all this from us,” Max said. “So we want compensation.”

He sighed. “Okay, I guess I deserve that. What do you want?”

Izzy and Max shared a mischievous look. Alec felt a spark of fear.

* * *

“This isn’t even that bad,” Alec said, trying not to drop the zoo souvenirs while wrapping the balloon thread around his wrist. “I’m kinda disappointed, honestly.”

“Why, what were you expecting?” Magnus asked, holding Maxie’s hand as a swan ducked its neck to eat some bread from his palm. Maxie giggled, entranced.

“I dunno, really. Maybe make me do something embarrassing that they would post online, or something.”

“Daddy, birdie’s eating bread,” Maxie called. 

“That’s a swan, buddy,” Alec said. “Careful, don’t let it bite you.”

“Quack quack?” Maxie asked. 

“No, that’s a duck.” Magnus told him. “Move back a little, you’re going to fall in the water.”

Alec stared off into space for a second. “Wait, what sound does a swan-”

“Alec!” Izzy called from down the path. “Buy me this cotton candy!”

He sighed. “Be right back, guys,” he said, then sharply raised his voice. “I didn’t sign up for _ three _children, Izzy, buy your own cotton candy!” But he stumbled to them all the same.

“Izzy, there’s nothing else you’re gonna ask for?” he asked, once she was done taking a picture of Max holding the cotton candy stick like a beard. 

“Well, I saw an ice cream stand-”

“No, I mean, the zoo is really tame, for you.”

“Oh, no, I have my reasons,” she grinned. “Look,” she said, shoving her phone in his face and swiping to show a lot of pictures of him with Magnus that she had taken. The one at the entrance was the only one where she had made them pose.

The others were all candids. 

Magnus playing with Maxie, and Alec standing behind them making an incredibly fond expression that he didn’t know he was capable of making.

Alec holding Maxie on his shoulders in front of the tiger cage, and Magnus making that same fond expression. 

Alec’s outraged face as Magnus taught Maxie to blow a raspberry at the hippo enclosure.

“How many of these do you have?” Alec asked, a little dazed.

“A lot,” Izzy grinned, pulling her phone back. “And I’m using them to embarass you both when you get married. Oh, don’t look at me like that. You are going to get married.”

“You really think?” Alec asked, looking back at Magnus and Maxie, who were walking to them hand in hand. Maxie waved at him, smiling brightly.

“You’ve left us behind, Alec,” Izzy said softly. “You have a new family here. I’m so happy for you.”

Alec couldn’t find a way to reply to that. 

He smiled and kissed Magnus when they finally reached the cotton candy stand.

“Hello,” Magnus laughed, pulling away. “What happened?”

“Nothing at all,” Alec answered, taking Maxie’s hand. “Everything’s perfect.”

* * *

**Three Years Later**

* * *

“Magnus, have you seen Maxie’s bag?”

“Somewhere- It’s by the door, honey.”

“Oh, yeah, thanks,” Alec said, grabbing the bag. “Where’s my briefcase? Shit, we’re late.”

“Calm down, it’s barely half past seven. Max? Are you done with your breakfast?”

“Almost, papa,” Maxie said through a full mouth, swirling his spoon around the bowl.

“Come on, hurry up,” Magnus urged, sipping his coffee. “Alexander, it’s on the sofa.”

“Right, got it,” Alec said, grabbing the briefcase with the other hand, then stood still, looking lost.

“I’m forgetting something,” he said, forehead wrinkling. Magnus laughed.

“I guarantee you aren’t, darling. Don’t stress so much, everything will go fine, okay? You’re going to be the best senior associate to ever work there.”

“Oh, I remembered what I was forgetting,” Alec said, smiling, then walked over to kiss Magnus.

“Flirt,” Magnus complained as Alec pulled away.

“You love it,” Alec countered, and took a deep breath. “I can do this,” he said firmly.

“Dad, you forgot to take your phone from the table!” Max said.

“Shit,” Alec muttered as Magnus snorted.

“I’ll call you, okay?” Alec said, kissing him again. “At lunch, yeah?”

“You do that,” Magnus said. “Go, now, or you’ll actually be late.”

“Bye, papa!” Maxie said, as the door shut behind him and Alec. Magnus sighed contentedly and took another sip of his coffee.

* * *

** _An excerpt from _ ** **The Adventures Of A Dragon Prince ** ** _(Gideon Archer, p. June 2022)_**

_“Farewell, Princess,” Sir Max said. “I will be back soon.”_

_“I pray that you remain safe,” the Princess said. “Do you have everything you need?”_

_“Yes, everything is ready. Where is the Prince?” Max asked._

_“I don’t know,” she said, turning around to look into the castle. “He should have been here by now.”_

_Suddenly, there was a great gust of wind. Blinking the hair from their eyes, they looked up into the sky. The golden dragon flapped his wings again, circling above them. The Princess rolled her eyes as the Prince shifted mid-flight and landed next to her in a perfect crouch._

_“You could have taken the stairs,” she told him._

_“Where’s the fun in that?” he asked. “Max, when are you leaving?”_

_“...Now?” Max said. “I came to say my goodbyes.”_

_“Why are you here if you didn’t come to say farewell?” the Princess asked._

_“I’m coming with you, Max,” the Prince announced, laughing. “Do you think you can rid yourself of me so easily?”_

_“But it is dangerous,” Max objected. “My Prince, we do not know what might happen in the treacherous caves. Nobody can tell the future.”_

_“That’s the fun of it,” he smiled, a glint in his eye._

**Author's Note:**

> And that's it, folks!
> 
> Thank you so much for sticking through. Thoughts? Give us a comment to tell us what you liked, or didn't. Or you can just scream the voices of the eldritch damned. Too shy, or busy? Leave a kudos! They're appreciated too!
> 
> And to you, dear reader, I give kudos of my own. Love you all so much! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
> 
> (If you'd like to turn this into a podfic, or make fanfics or fanart based off it, go ahead! Tag me if you do so I can see it on [Tumblr](https://miavivisol.tumblr.com) or [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/samuelvivisol))


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